Bid to identify building site body

The pinafore found with the remains of a woman in Manchester city centre last month

Police are trying to identify a woman whose remains were discovered by workmen on a building site.

A human skull was unearthed by a digger at the site of the Co-operative Group's new £100 million headquarters in Manchester city centre last month.

Officers attended and the remains of a white woman, aged between 16 and 30, were excavated. It is unclear how long they had been there.

A post-mortem examination has since revealed that the woman suffered a fractured jawbone, collarbone and neck.

Further tests are under way to try to establish the woman's identity.

A blue jumper and blue/green bra were recovered among the remains, which were wrapped in blue carpet. A green pinafore with large buttons was found nearby.

Detective Chief Inspector Jeff McMahon, of the Major Incident Team, said: "This woman's death is highly suspicious and we have a team of trained detectives trying to establish who she is and what has happened to her.

"We are reviewing all relevant missing person reports in an attempt to identify her but if you have any knowledge about the items of clothing we have recovered I would urge you to get in touch. Until we are able to establish further facts it would be inappropriate to speculate on how long this woman has been dead or how exactly she died. Any information that can help us can be treated in strict confidence."

The initial find was made on Monday January 25 at 3.50pm by workmen at the former slum area known as Angel Meadows between Angel Street, Dantzic Street and Miller Street.

Anyone with information should call the Major Incident Team on 0161 856 5448, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.